This Is Our Normal
by drabblebabbles
Summary: Snippets into life in a peaceful Konoha post-Fourth Shinobi War where even in peace, life can be messy. Kakashi x Shizune pairing.
1. Part 1

Shizune is principled, kind and caring, motivated, responsible by nature, analytical, protective and brave. She is there for the people who need her and ready to defend those she loves. She believes in doing the right thing and will passionately pursue that aim for as long as she can. She has strength and ferocity contained within a body of compassion and poise.

Kakashi is commanding without being imposing. Immense strength, intelligence, and determination held behind an easygoing facade. He appears aloof, lackadaisical - he is anything but. He notices everything, and risks his life in the noble pursuit of peace and safety for the village he calls home. Those precious to him come first as he is done losing any more loved ones. While it may seem his rigid adherence to rules and regulations has slipped away, it would be more accurate to say that he lives by different rules now. Shinobi code exist for a reason, but they are not the only edicts by which people must live their lives.

They both understand what it is like to live life pining after lost loved ones, to live a life where all those of importance dwell only in memories. Both have moments when the past reaches out and compels them to speak up, to insist that things be done differently, that the people around them in the present reconsider their ways. The lessons of the past are not lost of either of them.

Their quiet demeanors present themselves differently. Shizune is composed, attentive, making moves behind the scenes. Kakashi is pensive, observant, acting with conviction when deemed necessary.

People underestimated her, but she was accomplished all her own. Her thoughtfulness came off as passivity, but she was just processing, thinking, observing. He understood this.

He would wake up and nestle into her arms. It would seem in his unconscious state the copy ninja craved comfort, needed to be the one on the receiving end of care. She didn't mind. She's liked seeing the vulnerable side he hid from others.

She would wake on some mornings with hands roving her body, kisses lining her neck. Those mornings would be another excuse for him to be late. At first she worried about her own tardiness, but soon she realised no one else cared as much.

Kakashi would leave in the mornings without anyone noticing he was there. He lived there now, but you wouldn't know it - aside from the bookshelf lined with Jiraiya's novels. He was a minimalist, and tidy, all of his things put away. Her creature comforts had just become his as well.

When Shizune was off on her rare missions, Kakashi gave no indication that he'd even noticed. Traveling for years with a depressed Sannin naturally meant Shizune could hold her own, and even though medical ninjutsu was her calling, she fought with precision and careful thought. She was only ever away on aid missions anyway, helping smaller settlements that were being ravaged by sickness or had particularly difficult cases to treat.

Inwardly, he worried. Enemies took out medical personnel to be strategic, and even though the war was over, and a tenuous peace had settled upon them, he knew to be ever-vigilant. Her first night back would always be one of appreciation and care with rare shows of affection from the usually distant ninja.

With her job as Hokage's assistant, she'd seen him on a more regular basis, which had inadvertently led them to their current arrangement. Even though Kakashi was better at managing duties than Tsunade, she was still at the administrative building a few days out of the week. However, his competency meant Shizune could spend more time at the hospital caring for patients, more time helping interns and teaching Academy classes, more time interacting with other eligible ninja. Kakashi was never one to be jealous, especially since they never spoke of exclusivity. Seeing Shizune interact with the teachers at the academy, specifically one who was kind and handsome and loved children, seemed to stir the inklings of 'she's mine.'

But, she wasn't. She was her own person, and Kakashi had never made moves to be together permanently. They didn't go out as a couple, and never showed affection in public. Maybe that could change, but it likely wouldn't. They were both too private, too aware of the implications of being in a relationship with a shinobi. Even so, it was hard for him to conceal his discomfort when she spoke of her day, spoke of Iruka with such praise. Shizune noticed.

She thought it was the stress at first. There was an outbreak off the flu in the village, and many children were coming in with pneumonia. She didn't admit it to herself until two and a half weeks passed. She was taking precautions. How did this happen? (5.5 weeks)

She couldn't possibly be a mother now. He definitely wasn't the family type. She'd end up like Sakura, taking care of a child alone and pretending that she wasn't. But she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. The next in line of a clan of gifted shinobi, maybe the next Hokage. Maybe it was just the mood swings getting to her.

She couldn't bring herself to broach the subject with Kakashi in their fleeting quiet moments. Every time felt like the wrong time. She wasn't used to holding her tongue, to not saying what needed to be said. It was out of character for her.

He noticed her demeanour around him changed, just slightly. More reserved, more silent moments. She assumed he wouldn't notice her lack of appetite, her constant nausea - signs of pregnancy so obvious to a medical specialist. And he didn't, at first. First, he noticed the second chakra emanating from her, the one that felt like his father's. (7 weeks)

The calm confrontation was so unnerving. He was matter-of-fact, as was expected from Kakashi. Shizune wanted some emotion from him, some sign if he would be around, if he wanted to be a dad. She had already decided that she would keep it. At least he knew.

Kakashi was panicking. He didn't plan this. This attachment, this responsibility. He never thought of himself as being a father, but the jolt of surprise he felt at first soon morphed into confliction. No one could tell by looking at him, but the aloof man was the furthest from cool for the next few weeks.

Their time spent together was soon limited to work times only. Shizune took to being at the hospital unless expressly called to the Hokage tower. Otherwise, it was business as usual. The others at the office noticed Shizune's lack of presence, but they explained it away by saying Kakashi was more self-sufficient.

Those at the hospital began to notice - Shizune was eating strange things, always drinking ginger tea, more tired than usual. It was apparent to the medical personnel around her. What wasn't apparent was who the father was. They were all taking care to make Shizune comfortable, and she was so grateful that she wasn't alone in this.

She could no longer fit into her mission clothes, not that she was being assigned to any. Kakashi was keeping her in Konoha, his slight acknowledgement of the situation since they still hadn't seen each other. She was beginning to show, and Tsunade and Sakura were both taking to her care. Shizune resisted telling them who the father was. They were both too close to stay calm at his disappearance. (Week 11)

Shizune came home exhausted after pushing herself too hard at work again. She didn't bother turning lights on and just went to lie in bed. Something caught her eye on the coffee table, and the hormones made her eyes well. At least, that's what she told herself. On the table was a small sword, a note placed next to it.

"It's only fitting that this stays within the clan."

The atmosphere mellowed more as Shizune returned to her duties as assistant. Tsunade felt the office job would be safer than at the hospital. What came with her return was an uncomfortable need for release, an uptake in arousal typical during pregnancy.

It didn't help that she was so close to the handsome ninja all the time. Kakashi noticed, of course, but he didn't act upon it. He'd rather throw teasing glances, sneak touches that he knew would affect her more. He was being cruel to a pregnant woman.

Having Shizune there everyday really brought him front and centre with reality. Kakashi could feel his child taking shape. He needed to stop being detached. He couldn't afford to do nothing. Of course he was already attending her checkups, albeit from a distance. Shizune felt him crawl into bed that night, but he was at work before she woke.

He overheard Shizune saying the next appointment was when she'd learn the gender. Kakashi thought she did it on purpose. His curiosity peaked. He was invested, he needed to know, too.

As Sakura was taking Shizune in to get her latest checkup, they were startled to see Kakashi follow in after. It wasn't like him to be on time, and he definitely wasn't expected there. The anger was clear on Sakura's face.

"How nice of you to finally show up."

They were having a boy. (20 weeks)


	2. Part 2

They weren't together. He slept at her place, and they were having a baby together, but they still weren't together. Not really. Old habits are hard to break, after all, and years of solitude aren't easy to toss away. They enjoyed each other's company, talked about their lives, but neither openly mentioned the future or made any plans.

It wasn't as if they'd dated or declared a relationship or even talked about being serious. Sure, having a baby is serious, but their interactions were still the same as before. They came and went as they pleased, and while Shizune did her best to keep things noncommittal, it was starting to become difficult. Growing someone's kid inside you created a distinct attachment, and she started imagining life as a family. Her heart wanted that stability, but her mind reminded her it was irrational.

"Aren't I allowed to be irrational right now, if ever?"

But while she was allowed to be irrational, she wasn't allowed to force someone into something they didn't want. And Kakashi showed no signs of settling down. Of course, he was handling all of his new fatherly duties, which currently meant accompanying Shizune to her appointments and putting together baby furniture, but anything else that would typically be expected in a normal relationship was missing.

Kakashi had more romantic pursuers than Shizune, especially now. Having a kid made dating considerably more difficult for her, but apparently the idea of Kakashi as a father was what worked for some women. He brushed them off as he always had, paying attention only to those he wanted, only on superficial level. He was aware of their intentions, their motivations, and he was already in an unplanned situation that he couldn't control. He wasn't looking for another one.

And he wasn't exactly keen to find an alternate lover either, especially while he was in the middle of his current predicament. Kakashi was back to his habit of reading porn in public with his face regularly buried in one of his "romance novels." While he had desires just like any other person, he was too preoccupied with bigger problems to pursue an alternate avenue.

While he had multiple people for which he cared now, he was only partially responsible for them. His ANBU and Genin teams were in his care during missions, and Sasuke...well, he was always on everyone's minds, but more so Sakura and Naruto. Wanting the team together again was a burden for them all, so it was never him going for it himself. This, this was on him alone. No one else could be a father to his kid like he could. He was painfully aware of this with his own upbringing and with the orphan majority in his team. Mentors could be _like_ Dad, but none could be Dad.

Middle-of-the-night cravings, help up from a seat or with bags, she tried to take care of things like these herself. It wasn't like her to burden someone with her needs, and Kakashi wasn't one to go around offering help - even in this situation. He was there, he cared, but he didn't come across as the doting type. Small words of encouragement, sure, but he was more comfortable talking about the future to ghosts who couldn't answer back than he was to an actual person.

This just highlighted how oblivious they could be and how little they actually knew about each other. As analytical as they could be in their professional lives, they were horribly obtuse with personal affairs. Kakashi was more than willing to be there, to go to the store at midnight for fish cakes and mochi, but Shizune was self-sufficient. She didn't seem to need him, to want his help.

She was just being stubborn, suffering when all she had to do was speak up. Instead, she told herself not to be a bother, not to be weak. He was already making an effort, but when she needed a helping hand, she wanted it to be his. She needed him to want to help. It was a senseless tug-of-war in her mind complicated by the flurry of emotions she could no longer control.

Where Kakashi fell short, her teammates and friends picked up the slack. Genma, Raidou, Iwashi, even Kurenai would help with picking up groceries, bringing her medication, making sure that she was doing well. However, now that the secret was out, she was getting stares and picking up on hushed whispers from the other villagers. With the constant scrutiny, she was glad to have supportive people in her corner. It didn't help matters that he was still going out at all hours while she diligently stuck to a routine, handling her responsibilities as dutifully as always.

Iruka would regularly take her to lunch, under Tsunade's firm suggestion, to get her away from the office. The Sannin knew how her apprentice would throw herself into work to regain some semblance of control in this chaotic situation, and because Iruka was there helping with mission assignments anyway, he was the reasonable choice to pull her away. Why not Kakashi? He had paperwork to do, of course, and if she couldn't get out of it as Hokage, he couldn't either.

Iruka was the doting companion that Shizune needed at the moment. Her independent streak was faltering with the overwhelming responsibility she was beginning to feel, and his concern for her was touching. He took her mind off of how complicated everything had become, and he became a reliable sounding board. Their lunches started getting longer, and Shizune began looking forward to the banter and company of the gentle Chunnin. There were never any hidden intentions or false pretenses to worry about. It was a platonic interaction from both sides - a friend being there for a friend.

He placated her worries about raising a child as a ninja, being that he constantly surrounded by the children of shinobi. Iruka himself lost his parents as a child, and while it wasn't easy growing up, it wasn't impossible. He reminded her that she had one of the strongest support systems with good friends, a resilient mentor, loyal loved ones. Deep, heavy topics that would usually be discussed between parents such as who would take care of her son if she were killed in battle were brought up and settled on the way to lunch counters around the village.

While this was cathartic for her, it felt decidedly exclusionary for Kakashi, especially when he heard of these decisions from Sakura instead of Shizune herself. Even though none of this was planned, he still wanted to be a part of the process, and being involuntarily shut out of it did not sit well with him. While he projected a carefree image and acted as if nothing phased him, Kakashi was not comfortable with decisions being made for him in aspects of his life that he'd rather control.

Things were calm in their confrontation again. He was home early, which was unusual for him, and she was coming back from tea at Kurenai's. The jonin was nice enough to let Shizune borrow some of her old maternity clothes. It was unnerving, the nearly masked tension in his voice as he spoke of how he shouldn't have to hear about major decisions from another person - even if that person was his former student.

"What right do you have to lecture when you aren't there for me, for us? Why should I feel so alone in this? You ran away," she said with an unnatural steadiness to her voice, "You outlined your role clearly, and I considered that in my decisions."

Undercurrents of rage and betrayal tugged at her words, emotions that she was trying so hard to keep at bay. Her perspective was biased, unaware of his failure to correct her assumptions. As difficult as that was for him to hear, what came next was just as hard. It was honest and open, letting himself consciously care for another and allowing this person truly into his sphere. And goodness, if it wasn't the most hypocritical thing he'd ever said.

"You never had to feel alone. You only had to let me in."

Her strong facade faltered. He said it like that was so obvious, so easy to do. There he was offering what she'd wanted, but she was too defensive to ask, too guarded. How was she supposed to start now? 'I want to be together. We work. We'd be so good together. Our family would be perfect.' The words were too difficult to say out loud. It felt too exposed; the opposite of everything a ninja should be doing, but if not now, then when?

"Well...then, what about _us_?"


	3. Part 3

Us. If one word could invoke such hesitation it was that word. Us meant reality. Kakashi was a planner. He thought out his moves and actions diligently, considering every possibility to every option before actually acting, but this was not the time for hesitation.

But, his face uncharacteristically fell, and her eyes caught it. The slight widening of his eyes that Shizune mistook as hesitation when it was really just shock at her forwardness. He already thought he'd made his intentions clear with his actions. He made sure the house was clean, so she didn't have to be on her feet after working all day, and that her favourite blanket was always washed since she liked curling up in it on weekends. He'd hidden of all her jasmine and plum scented perfumes because he knew they triggered her nausea even though she'd loved them before and made sure to always have taro ice cream in the freezer for her.

Shizune looked away, disappointment suffocating her heart as she squinted at the white hot tears burning her eyes. She quickly rushed out of the apartment, not wanting to be the hysterical one in the interaction. Shizune wasn't hysterical. She was logical and measured, and it didn't end well when she let her feelings take over. But the calmness of his interactions always unnerved and infuriated her. It was as if he didn't feel. It was a great asset for someone of his position, but it never shut off.

"Shinobi aren't supposed to feel," her mental voice reminded her. To which she forcefully thought, "Bullshit, I feel. Everyone does."

"Does he know how difficult it is to feel so alone? Does he have any idea what it's like to have no one to talk to in the middle of the night?" All she wanted from him was to be there for her like her friends were. To be the hand she held on this journey that they found themselves taking. Why couldn't they do it together?

But, why bother saying it. He was always alone, so obviously he knew; he seemed to prefer it. Should she even be blaming him for hesitating at the thought of commitment when it was never the future he pictured for himself. She was the one who optimistically sought a life of companionship and love, even when the only companion she had was Tsunade. She dreamed of happily-ever-after, not whatever this was. Her prince charming wasn't supposed to be an errant, porn-reading fool. Who still reads porn anyway?!

Kakashi, meanwhile, was getting stir-crazy waiting for Shizune to come back from wherever she'd gone. He met up with Yamato at a local bar to talk through this situation being that the wood-release practitioner was one of his closest friends. Unfortunately, Yamato had less experience with serious relationships than Kakashi, so it was more of an opportunity for Kakashi to gripe than gain insight. He'd began helping in subtle ways ages ago, and he couldn't understand why she was so upset with him. He wasn't expecting the question to be about them, so he didn't answer right away, but it should be apparent to her already.

"Why can't she see that I'm making the effort already? I'm on time to her appointments. I go home every evening!"

"I'm honestly surprised that you let yourself fall into this situation," Yamato began to say, "I think-"

"She wants you to want to be there," Iruka cautiously interrupted, "It's not enough just to show up, you have to mean it."

It seemed the Chunnin was grabbing a drink there as well, and despite the awkward timing and the slight annoyance that Kakashi felt at being comparatively out of the loop again, he would take all the help he could get.

"I wouldn't be making the effort if I didn't want to make a go of this," Kakashi said while shaking his head, "I even rented out my flat to another person. Of course I mean it!"

"Have you tried telling her this?" Iruka asked in turn, "Does she realize that you're not around because you feel obligated to be there? That you aren't doing it out some misguided sense of duty? Because...from our talks, I don't think she does."

"Our talks," Kakashi repeated as he lazily looked over at the tanned teacher, "Talks, huh?"

"Hey now!" Iruka exclaimed taking a step back, "Don't shoot the messenger! I'm sure she'd like to talk with you over me. I'm just trying to be a good friend."

Sending him a side-eyed glare, Kakashi ordered another round for the table. Yamato glanced up at Iruka, motioning for him to sit as it seemed the Copy Ninja wanted to have a few words with Shizune's friend. Iruka sighed as he knew this would derail his plans for the evening.

"Tell me more about these talks."

Kakashi came home to find Shizune seething, angrily setting up the nursery and decidedly avoiding his gaze. She was very roughly putting together a mobile with little ninjas and stars, while he gently went over and sat next to her.

"Iruka will be his godfather, and Yamato should be the guardian," Kakashi suddenly declared, jarring Shizune out of her rage-trance, "Iruka is good with kids, and Yamato is reliable. Tsunade can be his godmother, but I get to decide these things as well. I should be included in these decisions. He's my kid, too."

So, it seems he did have an opinion and wanted to have an input. Shizune was heartened that he was at the least taking an interest in their child's future, but she stubbornly kept putting fluffy stars on hooks instead of looking up at him. It was the first time he'd acknowledged being a dad and being involved, and she was having a hard time keeping a straight face. This damned kid was turning her into a crier, so she hurriedly looked down, blinking frantically to curb the stinging in her eyes.

"I saw you were out of daifuku…" he continued carefully, "I brought some more since you like those after appointments…"

She looked up him in slight surprise. She'd been too preoccupied with her own thoughts and emotions to realize that he'd noticed any of her mannerisms. If he was paying such close attention to little things like that, she began to wonder what other things he'd been doing. As she thought back, Shizune could have kicked herself for being so unobservant. She hadn't done dishes in a month, and she'd seen him doing laundry on more than one occasion.

"A Hokage doing my laundry," she chided herself, "That's not how assistants work… He's busy enough as it is!"

"I've been such a fool," she said slowly, pouting a little in his direction, "Thank you…for doing everything I haven't noticed."

Kakashi nodded in response and smiled his signature, behind-the-mask smile at her, happy that her anger had seemingly dissipated.

"Does this answer your question from earlier?" he asked leadingly.

"No, not at all," Shizune said, wanting a firm answer with no assumptions, though she hoped her assumption was true.

"We're already an 'us'," he answered with a deep sigh, finally saying it out loud.


	4. Part 4

Part 4

They were going to try. Try to proceed like they were the average, regular couple. Doctor's appointments together, dinners, dates even. They managed to go through the motions quite well, playing the parts of commitment and stability. Since they were already living together, there wasn't much adjustment needed on that front, but now they weren't hiding things. Shizune even attempted to take cute, couple pictures which proved to be difficult to do when a certain someone's expressions were normally limited to one eye. Every now and then, she'd get a good smile out of him. A half-face-covered, eyes-only smile that was the best he'd do in public, but she was determined to get one decent picture of the man before things got too hectic.

However, showing affection in public was harder for her. She had a difficult time being sentimental in the open. A quick picture was easy enough, but things like walking arm-in-arm weren't. Her mind would get in the way, over-analyse her actions before they happened, and discourage her from going through with it. Kakashi didn't seem to have this hang-up, and he took to normal much better than she. Either he was better at ignoring the awkwardness, or he was better at pretending, but she figured that his shame reflex had gone a long time ago. You'd have to become pretty brazen to read _Icha Icha_ in public without blushing. She'd taken a peek into one on those novels years ago when she spotted one in Tsunade's bag, and just the memory of one passage was enough for her to blush now.

"Jiraiya-sama had been quite the racy man after all," she mused while averting her eyes slightly.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was cheekier in his remarks, more flirtatious in his interactions, had taken to spending more time with her. He'd randomly show up on her errands and walk with her, sometimes carrying her bags, showing a rare display of chivalry. Kakashi wasn't too fond of chivalry because he knew perfectly well that a woman could be just as capable as he, but even so, one should help his pregnant girlfriend in these situations.

On just such an occasion, she'd been at a local apothecary replenishing supplies for her personal herb stock, and he came up beside her as she picked up another sachet to put into her bag. He gingerly took the bag from her arms, smiling his signature eyes-only smile, and she stepped back in surprise at his sudden proximity.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she breathed out, shaking her head as she let go of the parcel in her hand.

"I'd hardly call that sneaking," he replied, dropping his smile into nonchalance again, "There's a bell on the door, and the shop attendants both greeted me as I came in…"

"Oh, I suppose I was just distracted then," she answered, sheepish that she'd been caught off guard.

As she walked around the store picking up more items, they talked about the latest unclassified updates about the recent approach to Ame and Kusa joining the Union, and she perked up when he mentioned that they were cautiously receptive. The stronger the Union, the more likely that it would survive into the future. They'd fallen into a comfortable conversation just as they would have in the past, saving more thorough talk about the issues until they were out of the public eye. Couldn't go around discussing sensitive issues in front of civilians, now could they?

Which was why the transition into the public eye was so difficult for Shizune. Kakashi had been admired by shinobi and civvies for years, seemingly indifferent to the attention. For Shizune, her life was spent in the background, making moves in the shadows, and it used to be never staying in the same place for too long and occasionally using disguises to literally hide away in plain sight. This was so opposite of every instinct, that she was having a most difficult time dealing the increased stares they attracted together. Shizune really didn't like the attention; she felt so exposed, so scrutinized.

Walking down a street in Konoha, she could sense the number of eyes peering at her, even ones that were meant to be unobvious. It was difficult to keep a low-profile while walking with the Hokage and while carrying his child. You'd think the villagers had better things to do than gawk and nose into someone else's business, and she could feel her annoyance getting the better of her. Glancing over at Kakashi, it was as if he'd tuned them all out, hands in his pockets, the overly-warm Hokage jacket billowing in the slight wind of the day.

"He's just so zen," Shizune thought while trying to keep from looking at the ground, frowning in tempered envy, "If only I could glean a little bit of that zen right now…"

She wanted to take his hand, maybe draw some confidence or garner support from him, but she didn't want to be so needy and obvious. Ever-perceptive, he reached over and intertwined their fingers, backs of their hands touching, giving her petite fingers a small, comforting squeeze.

"Don't worry so much," he said, giving her a small smile, "They aren't seeing anything they didn't already know."

"But, there are expectations," Shizune whispered back as they reached the Hokage building, "I can't go around behaving like a schoolgirl."

"Forget the expectations," he replied to her while whisking away into his office, "I didn't fall in love with my expectations of you, after all. I fell for you. So, they can adjust."

Shizune stopped cold, the fading warmth of his fingers only barely noticeable after the utter bombshell that he'd just dropped on her. Did he really just say that, just so casually as if it wasn't a big deal at all? She'd hoped, of course, for this progression, but it's always different to hear it said out loud.

"And he did in the middle of all of these people," she thought frantically as she glanced around the shinobi crossing the veranda.

Even though she had no work to do at the hospital, Shizune decided not follow him inside while still being so shocked. Better to think it through and not make rash moves, she thought with a gleeful smile as she headed home to have a spot of tea and decide how to proceed with this new information. She, no doubt, loved him, but reciprocity was a nice development.

* * *

Thanks to treyabarton for the beta-read on this chapter!


	5. Part 5

Shizune was nervous as she walked into the Tower on Kakashi's first day as Hokage. Serving Tsunade-sama was second nature to her as she'd been doing it for most of her life, but as much as she hated to admit it, she'd had a slight crush on Kakashi as a child. He was always so stoic and strong and effortlessly impressive, but he used to walk around with this arrogance that could be off-putting. She was infatuated with his genius, but his attitude was so deflating. The Kakashi she met when she returned was so different. Still just as impressive, still a man of few words, but gone was the arrogance, the bravado. His countenance was reserved but almost forlorn, easily mistaken as lackadaisical and lazy. Shizune deduced that it was mostly an act, though, as she rarely had to repeat herself when discussing their daily briefings, and he managed to complete his work in a timely manner (an act much like the Nara shinobi who began working there, she observed.)

She found out from other shinobi about what happened to him since she left on her journey - his losses, his heartbreak. She tried very hard to be discrete, so as to not raise any eyebrows. She was thankful that Sandaime's intervention had prevented the complete hardening of Kakashi's character, and it seemed the optimistic naivete of his students soothed his soul, slowly but surely.

"He was still a bit of an ass, though," she thought as she remembered hearing about the number of students he'd failed along the way.

But she quickly shook away thoughts of an unprofessional nature around him. She was supposed to be his assistant, and this wasn't a fairytale. But her resolve wasn't going to make it any easier to constantly be around him.

"Get to work, Shizu," she snapped at herself, pouting at herself for getting so distracted.

They saw quite a bit of each other as she was his assistant and became a de facto advisor as he talked out mission assignments and political scenarios with her. With Tsunade-sama, these conversations were reserved for the elders, but Kakashi seemed to treat her as a sounding board, an equal.

She took great care in referring to him with the respect warranted in his position, though, and while he'd asked her many times to drop the formalities and speak with familiarity, it was her way of putting up a wall between her professional duties and personal feelings. Eventually, after a number of reminders and narrow-eyed glances from him, she'd loosened up on the honorifics.

Even through her conscious efforts to be professional, Shizune had a difficult time controlling her temper on some days, and her shield would crack. She'd get angry at someone for not submitting reports on time or not taking as much rest as she'd prescribed to them after a mission, but usually in the safety of her office. Unfortunately for her, she was located across the hallway from Kakashi's office when she wasn't researching new medical ninjutsu, and sometimes, when a team of ninja piled in with their cursory reports, he could hear her mutter a string of curses.

He'd always looked over her in the past, not really seeing the point in getting to know his peers, and they had limited contact when she'd returned with Tsunade from their travels. It was only when he received assignments, gave mission reports or provided briefings that Kakashi saw her, normally off to one side in the room. He had his own haunts around the village where he congregated with his few friends, and Shizune was still trying to acclimate into not being a nomad at the time. He noticed every now and again that she'd shift uncomfortably when he walked into a room or get flustered when she noticed his presence, but he assumed that she was just anxious in her environment or stressed out with the amount of work that she suddenly had to do.

It wasn't until a particularly calm encounter during his first month as Hokage that Kakashi realized how sweetly she smiled. It wasn't toothy or over-the-top like some, and there was a sincerity in the way she closed her eyes and slightly tilted her head. He realized that he'd rarely seen her smile before, and mostly decades previously. Shizune was generally so serious with furrowed brows and frowns that the brightness of her countenance when she smiled caught him slightly off-guard. She was speaking to him about how it was a generally peaceful day and that he could have an early evening if he'd like, and he wasn't going to argue with the time off.

"I wonder why I've never noticed her smile before," Kakashi thought as she retreated back to her office across the hallway, "Ah, well, not important. Early day for me."

Kakashi began noticing more little things about Shizune due to the proximity afforded to him with work. It took him a while to look beyond her role as his assistant and see her as a woman. He became comfortable with their work-dynamic and didn't think too much about personal things. Of course he'd noticed how she'd become an adult during her time away, but she was so business-like that he'd rarely taken the second glance. He should have noticed sooner. There was something so demure about the way she carried herself, but, boy, could she lose it with that temper sometimes. It was that paradox that intrigued him - meek yet fierce.

She would ask him around lunchtime how his day was going (even though she had to know his schedule already), and make comments about events occurring in the village that he might want to attend - small festivals, sake-tastings, theatrical showings, or the like. He would ask her about her hospital shifts on the occasions that she had them, justifying this strange interest in someone else's goings-on as part of his duties as Hokage. These soon led to stray comments from her about who she went to lunch with that day or a difficult case she was working on (with anonymized patient info, of course). Kakashi would occasionally interject with vague remarks about her lunch companions more questionable behaviours in the past, and sometimes she felt decidedly envious of how close their cohort had become while she was away.

"No sense in crying over spilled milk," Shizune chided herself, "You're not really a late-nights, bar-type anyway."

On a more work-related note, she made sure he was on top of everything by keeping his daily briefings informative yet concise and not bogging him down with too many unnecessary details. Shizune had finally gotten some assistants of her own and made sure that the admin office was in ship-shape with her at the helm, and she'd perfected the art of making it look effortless. But it wasn't just basic office help that she provided. Her mind was a lockbox, and her analytical skills could rival his own. She was insightful in her assessment of geopolitics while managing to maintain compassion for the people involved in a way that always escaped him.

Where professional blurred into personal was on the rare days that she got a bit too close to him during those daily briefings or leaned forward a bit too much while conferring over documents. He was never very good with proximity to others - usually because he favoured his space and solitude, but it seemed he had never gotten used to quiet company either. During the occasional incident when he would drift off, indulging himself in a bit of risqué daydreaming, Shizune's confused expression would normally be greeting him when he regained his train of thought.

"Well, this is unexpected," Kakashi mused, paying more attention to the scrolls Shizune had pulled out before she walked away to handle other tasks, "She's not my type at all."

 _Thank you again treyabarton for the beta read on this! We're going back to the beginning for a bit here, so it's not going to be as squee-y as some of the other sections, but I'm hoping to keep things interesting while still adding some substance, :) Also, I love all of your comments, follows, and favs! As my first posted story, it's nice to have encouragement, and I'm so, so sorry I left it hanging for almost two years! *sweatdrop*_


	6. Part 6

It was a breezy but still warm day in Konoha, and Shizu could feel the heaviness of an impending storm in the air. They didn't get the summer heat waves that Suna did being in the desert, but they also didn't get the sweet reprieve of cool nights. Regardless, Shizune pulled on her long, purple kimono over the netted baselayer and secured it with a lavender sash as she always had for as long as she could remember. Her sleeves were longer now, her sash secured tighter. People assumed Shizu wore her long kimonos for simplicity or modesty's sake, but as she overlapped the edges of her robe further, she knew it had more to do with her insecurities than anything else.

While she was comfortable in her skin, she wasn't curvy and bold like Tsunade or smoldering and mysterious like Kurenai. She wasn't even eye-catching like her apprentices Ino and Sakura. Shizu considered herself pretty plain and would catch herself sometimes being envious of pink hair and blue eyes before shaking herself of those thoughts. They can't help how they looked anymore than she could, and life was about more than appearances. On her way to the office, Shizune tried to get her mind off of her discouraging thoughts from earlier and will the frown from of her face.

Her day carried on as it usually did, paperwork, mission reports, managing staff, but the storm she felt in the air earlier began to sweep through earlier than she expected. As the sky darkened and small droplets began to pitter-patter against her window, and Shizune sighed as she felt herself losing focus on work. By the time Shizune was getting ready to leave the office, the thunder was really rumbling, and the droplets had become sheets. Sighing slightly, Shizune decided to wait out the storm in her office, and because she had been working here for so long, her office had transformed into almost a second home for her. As she settled into the lounge chair with a warm cup of tea, she let herself enjoy the rare moment of rest, and before she knew it, Shizu was drifting off into a quiet sleep.

As the evening was fast-approaching, Kakashi decided to leave for the day. It had been surprisingly calm that day as the rain seemed to lull the village into tranquility, and he'd happily spent the day reading his favourite books. Kakashi wished there could be another installment in the series, but that train of thought became decidedly depressing. On his way out, he peered into Shizune's office, the door slightly ajar, and Kakashi was surprised to see her dozing off. Shizune didn't just doze off. In some moments, he'd doubted that she even needed sleep.

He debated waking her to tell her to go home, but he decided against it and instead draped his Rokudaime jacket over her as she slept. He'd noticed her shivering at her desk earlier. As he leaned over, Kakashi couldn't help but see that the shoulder of her kimono was askew, and her silken hair was feathered across her jaw. He could see the tantalizing whisper of her collar bones, and the steady rise and fall her chest highlighted the hollows at the base of her unmarred neck. Kakashi took a few moments to take in the sight in front of him before he turned to leave. Kakashi knew better than to be caught staring at an unsuspecting kunoichi.

The next morning, Kakashi saw his cloak had been returned and was currently draped over the back of his chair. The day progressed as usual with Shizune briefing him on the day's tasks, signing papers until his hand was about to fall off, and sending diplomatic envoys to various lords and ladies of the Fire Country. When Kakashi put his jacket back on later that day to greet some lords visiting from the outskirts, there was a faint, lingering scent of jasmine that he found surprisingly pleasant. It was so light that he might have missed it if not for his heightened senses, but now that he could place her scent, it was everywhere. The subtle smell of Shizu was like a sweet a "Hello!" every time he walked onto their floor, a "How are you?" as he walked past their offices, drawing his attention when she stood next to him.

A few weeks passed by after the jacket incident, and with the hectic nature of their work, Kakashi had almost gotten past his mild infatuation of his assistant. The scent of jasmine still drew his attention, but less and less so each day as their interactions became scarcer. Shizune had taken on more responsibilities at the hospital in the past month, and Kakashi welcomed the reprieve from her work ethic. Everything had returned to normal, as he lounged in his office, deciding to worry about the repercussions of his recesses later.

Later came that next Thursday when Shizune returned to the Tower. It was already late into the evening, and she was still pouring over papers and permits that needed to be approved before the end of the week. Kakashi's procrastination with her gone had really done a number on her inbox, and she'd had a veritable fit about it with her admin staff. She was concentrating on her next task at hand as she set a pile of files onto Kakashi's desk for signature, making sure the silver-haired man completed as much as possible before leaving for the evening. As she was leaning over his shoulder, he peered at her with subdued curiosity, the smell of jasmine that he'd unknowingly missed wafting with her movements. As she began leaning away from him, Kakashi wondered what it would take to break her concentration.

The slightest smirk played across his face as Kakashi reached his hand up, fingers outstretched, just dusting the lightest brush of his fingers through her hair and watching it feather back down to her jaw. The bewildered, wide-eyed look on her face as she whipped her head toward him let him know that he'd succeeded in his little mission.

"Did he just do that? It must have been an accident, your eyes are playing tricks on you," she thought, trying to will her suddenly thumping heartbeat to steady.

But he continued, with his thumb running up her jaw. Her skin felt electric in the wake of his motion, derailing her train of thought as the current from his gesture radiated through her. The pressure of his fingers as they rested along her neck exhilarated her, her heady eyes betraying the effect of his touch already. He took this as a cue and sat a bit straighter, closing the gap between them. Carefully, slowly pulling her down to him, he pressed his clothed lips to her gently parted ones with conviction. Her hand rose up slowly to grasp the fingers still on her neck as her other hand curled around the edge of his desk, steadying her form from the shock, reinforcing the reality that this was actually happening.

"Why don't we call it a night, Shizune?" Kakashi asked as he pulled away, an amused twinkle in his eye as he'd clearly stunned the woman, "I don't think we'll get anymore work done tonight."

Shizu jolted out of her reverie and took a step back from his desk, the glee she was feeling was quickly fading into nervousness and worry. She tried to shake the shock she was feeling and bowed slightly before turning to leave, partially finished paperwork long forgotten.

"Y-yes, Ka-kakashi-san, -sama," Shizune stuttered out, her mind still in a haze, "Tomorrow, yes, well. Good night!"

Shizune bolted as fast as she could back to her apartment cursing herself for getting caught up in the moment. She should have slapped him, but instead, here she was flustered and running away. But...it had been so, so long since she'd indulged in the touch of another. He did initiate it, right? It's not like she did anything wrong by responding.

Of course, Shizu had had the occasional suitor in the villages where she and Tsunade travelled often. They were usually civilians and tended to be gentle and hopeful, a refreshing change from the volatile world she lived in. Sometimes the suitors would be wanderers of their own accord whose paths intersected with her own enough for sparks to fly. But, this was so different. This felt so real, so tangible, less fleeting. Maybe because Shizune wasn't facing the eventual 'goodbye' that she'd had to face in the past, but this could be just as fleeting, of course. Even moreso than the men she met in her travels considering who this was. The man did have a reputation, after all. She couldn't help but wonder if there would be a part two.

"No! None of this matters. He's your boss, stop it!" she scolded, a frown gracing her face before loosening into a pout, "But, that kiss…wow..."

* * *

I'm not really a fan of the 'innocent Shizune' archetype - especially since in one of the omakes we specifically hear her speaking about relationships & intimacy & body-image with Kurenai. It's clear that she thinks about and desires these types of things, and it seems silly to think that she traveled the world in her twenties without so much as having a fling. I mean...the girl's got needs and a whole world of men for the taking. Though, that doesn't mean she has very good game, of course.

Also, thanks again to treyabarton for the beta read! You're the best :D


	7. Part 7

_I re-wrote a section in Part 1 to correct some timeline discrepancies in the story. I started this story so long ago that I made an error in my own plot, lol. Also, thanks again to treyabarton for the beta read & feedback on this chapter!_

* * *

Walking into work the next day was dreadfully difficult for Shizune. She was feeling this awkward mix of hesitation and elation flavoured with nervousness and indignation. And for the next few days, Shizune made sure to keep her distance, keeping ample space between them and being hyper-aware of where his hands were as her mind kept replaying the sensation of his fingertips on her skin.

"Come on, Shizu," she grimaced unconsciously, "Get it together!"

Kakashi didn't mention it, but he found her nervousness and trepidation amusingly endearing. It was a nice change from the outright fawning that he usually experienced from women in the village. Catching her occasional blush when she glanced away quicker than normal aided his assumptions that his actions weren't unwelcome, which was expected, of course. Kakashi was so accustomed to women in the past chasing after him that Shizune's resilience was a nice change of pace, but he got tired of the awkward tension hanging in the air and decided to tackle the problem head-on.

As the sun waned and their work for the day had been delegated, Kakashi peered through his open door towards Shizune's office. It had been about a week since he'd kissed her, and he wasn't exactly surprised that the woman-in-question had been so distant. He imagined her over-thinking nature had closed her off from pursuing the avenue that he'd opened up. Nodding firmly, Kakashi put down the diplomatic briefing from an envoy in Iwa and crossed the hall into Shizune's office. She was luckily packing up for the day, but she stiffened slightly as she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye standing in her doorway.

"Hokage-sama," she began, looking up at him through the hair that had fallen into her face, "Did something come up?"

"No," he replied shortly, "I feel we need to have a chat."

He said this so definitively, and the authority he projected in his voice caught her attention as a ripple of anticipation heated her skin. It was so rare that she had to stop herself from reacting unprofessionally, but she caught herself biting her lip to maintain some control. Shizune sighed as she finished putting away her things for the day and steeled herself for the upcoming conversation.

"Don't let him get to you, Shizu. Remember, he's your boss."

"You've been awfully tense recently, Shizune," Kakashi drawled with his signature lazy look, "If something is upsetting you, I find talking things out can be helpful."

"My apologies, Kakashi-sama," Shizune replied, trying to keep the atmosphere formal between them, "I have just been preoccupied by something."

"You should know why with that mind-numbing kiss, you bastard," Shizune thought, a frown playing on her face.

He slowly stepped towards her, closing the gap between them as Shizune stood still, trying to compose herself, trying to ignore her racing heart and the warmth and expectation coursing through her. Kakashi's eyes crinkled, the whisper of a smile playing on his lips because he could tell that Shizu was trying to keep her calm facade in place. He tended to have a pretty strong effect on women, and he was aware of it. Usually he didn't have to do much to make girls swoon, but the ease of it got boring for him. However, Shizune wasn't disintegrating into a puddle before his eyes like he expected, which just upped the intrigue for him. She was biting her lip like she did when deep in thought, fist clenched at her side as she looked up at him, her brow stiff with determination

"Hokage-sama," she began, holding her hand up so as to stop his advance, "Things just got carried away...the other day… "

"You're right," Kakashi replied, nodding slowly, noticing the bright blush making its way across her cheeks, "Things just got carried away…"

He stepped back ever-so-slightly, still close enough to catch a whiff of her perfume, as he grazed his eyes over her clenched jaw and met her determined gaze with his own. His own mirth was surprisingly apparent on his face in a rare of show of expression from the shinobi as he glanced back at her, turning to leave.

"Oh, and Shizune, drop the '-sama,'" Kakashi called back towards her as he sauntered out of her office, noticing her shoulders slacken as he exited.

"This is getting interesting," he thought, smirking to himself as he walked out of the tower, a low laugh escaping his lips.

But in the other room, Shizune's resolve had grown into a flurry of emotions, tempestuous rage and unbound excitement coursed through her. It took so much of her self-control to keep herself professional, and she knew that he knew it. His languid eyes betrayed him, charm and amusement flitting enchantingly behind them.

"That infuriating bastard! He thinks this is a game!" she cursed, slamming her fist on her desk, "Well, fine. I can play this game, too!"

With Chunnin exams being hosted in Suna this year and preparations needing to be made for travel, supply transport, and accommodation for their Genin teams, Shizune was soon too busy to dwell on what happened between them. It was a three-day journey, and even with peacetimes, precautions had to be taken.

Kakashi continued to act as he always did with little change in his behaviour toward her. He let Shizune plan most of the trip there and back as he knew she was plenty competent to make the executive decisions that the assignment required, but he insisted that they stop in a small village on the outskirts of the Land of Fire on their first night out. The inn that he'd chosen for them had ample space for the camping children and had plenty of places for strategic security detail, so Shizune agreed. What she should have guessed was that she would get stuck trying to find where the elusive hokage had disappeared to in the chaos of preteens and fiery twenty-something senseis.

"Mah, Shizune, let's discuss this as we walk," Kakashi drawled out, popping up in front of her suddenly from a room that she was sure she'd just checked.

As he walked away from the grounds of the inn, Shizune narrowed her eyes suspiciously but continued walking with him. She couldn't place why, but she had a feeling that he was going somewhere specific, and perhaps he needed some space to himself. He'd always been a bit of private man, so being respectful of what she assumed he wanted, Shizune lagged behind him a bit. If she caught wind that he wanted to be alone, it would be easier for her to slip away

Kakashi, though, had no intention of being alone at the moment and was purposefully leading her in this direction. He recalled from his younger days that Shizune enjoyed historical sites and cultural preservation, and he knew of this ancient garden that the fire daiymo's family commissioned for their summer home centuries ago. Seeing as his tactic of forwardness hadn't worked how he intended, he decided to try a subtler approach. Perhaps he could break down those walls around her this way.

As they began coming upon lush grasses and manicured hillsides, Shizune glanced around in wonderment. Everything was so verdantly green and manicured, with gentle, flower-covered hillsides sloping into a glass-still lake. She spotted a large castle concealed in the distance and almost completely obscured by tall, ancient trees, no doubt a few hundred years old. She couldn't help but think about how picturesque this all was as they walked up a path toward the quaint bridge that skipped across a narrow passage of water that flowed from one end of the grounds to the other. The slight mist from the water skirting against the bank sprayed back at her, and the smell of cool, fresh air welcomed her.

"How is he playing this?" she wondered as she looked around her then back at Kakashi, "Is he...trying to be...romantic?"

If he was, she could only scoff in bewilderment. Whatever he was trying to do was so far from a fairy-tale that she couldn't imagine what he could have been thinking bringing her here. Would it have been a good date? Of course...from almost anyone else. From someone as stoic as Kakashi, it came across as some fanciful, completely uncharacteristic ploy for a naive girl's affections. And while this was beautiful, and Shizune appreciated the thought, the practical side of her screamed that she wasn't naive enough to let herself fall for something like this. Though, she did soften a bit at the idea that he thought enough to bring her here. After all, he had to have somewhat planned this.

"Kakashi-sama," Shizune started carefully, looking at him with feigned impatience, "What exactly are we doing here?"

"I decided that we deserved a break from those boring walls."

"Kakashi-sama," Shizune said as she smiled wryly, making her way to a nearby gazebo, "You always think we deserve a break. Work doesn't do itself."

"She smells like plums today," he thought to himself as she skirted past him, curious as to why she changed it up before sitting down next to her to finish the assignments that she'd brought along.

Naturally she would be the type to think of work when surrounded by lush gardens and scenic landscapes, but Kakashi kept drifting off, staring at things in the distance. She was pretty sure he was doing it on purpose, but even her stubborn resolve was crumbling. Eventually, she allowed herself to succumb to the sweet sounds of the bubbling stream and the serenity of the wind as it skirted across their faces.

Sighing contentedly, Shizune decided to call it a day and turned only to find that Kakashi has wandered off while she was in her daze. He was making his way closer to the castle grounds, and Shizune found herself following after. She caught up to him quickly enough as his pace was slow, and she fell into a comfortable stride next to him as the explored what they could of the garden.

It had become a habit of hers in her adolescence to let herself get carried away by 'what if's. Shizune imagined how things might look to an outsider if someone happened upon them at this moment, strolling through the trees as they were now, and Kakashi's silence allowed her to indulge in fantasy. She could pretend that he wasn't her boss or a notorious pervert and let herself get carried away with thoughts of prince charming and grand gestures. He really was quite the catch when she thought about it. Accomplished, talented, attractive from what little she could see, and pleasant to be around when he wasn't being an infuriating fool. She could see herself having dinner with him without much effort, maybe even resting her head against his broad chest after a long day.

Kakashi, on the other hand, seemed so nonplussed about the whole situation. It was almost as if he was having a stroll, and Shizune was just coming along for the ride. Kakashi, however, was quite pleased to see her relaxing for once and couldn't help but smile at her wistfulness. He'd found that Shizune was fairly easy to read once you got to know her. There were the obvious signs that anyone could see like when she lost her temper or got frustrated with subordinates, but the slight changes to her demeanor were what really gave her away. She always pulled at the hem of her sleeve when she was worried about something, and she narrowed her eyes whenever she was trying to solve a hard problem. In this moment, he was just glad to see that Shizune seemed completely at ease.

Before they knew it, the sun was setting, and the pair knew that they'd have to get back to the inn soon. They were scheduled to begin travelling early the next morning, and the rest of the journey would be tiring. On the way back, Shizune was happy that he'd taken her to the gardens, deciding to worry less about whatever his intentions were. It was rare that she got to revel in something fanciful like that, so even though she hadn't forgiven him for his earlier behaviour, Shizune decided to appreciate the gesture all the same.

"This was pretty nice break after all," Shizune murmured.


	8. Part 8

_Hey everyone! So sorry for taking so long to update, but I have been having a really rough go of it with life/work. Also, this is another slow, setup chapter, so if you don't like that sort of writing, just skip it! I like having my stories build-up/have a progression in plot/be a slow-burn, so my writing won't always be full of excitement. I just hope that it's still compelling and easy to read!_

 _And, as always, many thanks to my wonderful friend and beta-reader treyabarton. She is a great writer, updates waaay more than I do, and if you are looking for stories with good plotlines and multi-faceted representations of some of our favourite characters, check her out on **AO3** \- treya_barton!_

* * *

With the exams past them, and a number of successful new Chunnin in Konoha, life was slowly returning to normal. Well, as normal as it could be for Shizune when her boss was playing some odd cat-and-mouse game of affection with her.

After their peaceful moment at the gardens had ended, Shizune started overthinking things again as she was wont to do. Though she was easily swept away by the nature of her work and life, she found herself thinking about Kakashi in her idle moments moreso than she had before. And...to be quite honest...he'd popped up in her thoughts often enough before that day anyway.

She couldn't help but wonder if she was reading too much into the gesture. But then her rational side would remind her that he had made other advances toward her. Maybe…but was he really just being a flirt?! Could it actually be that he was genuinely interested in her? How would she even go about confirming that? And if he was? What then?

If he were another shinobi, any other shinobi, it would have been so much easier. They could go on dates, train together, maybe even curl up under a blanket and watch a movie. But how could she go about spending any more time with the Hokage? And even then, how would she make it clear that the subsequent time was personal and not professional? It was just too complicated already, and that could hardly be a good sign, right?

Shizune needed a breather already, and there wasn't even anything going on! The day had passed so quickly, and her fraught thoughts let her get little done. Not that she was really in the mood to get work done anyway. Really, all she wanted was to get her mind off the mess that her personal life had suddenly become. Luckily for her, Izumo and Kotetsu had become close friends with her during her time in Konoha, so when they invited her out for drinks that evening at a new bar in town, she happily accepted. Anything to stop the currently racing thoughts of grey hair and billowing jackets.

As she grabbed her wallet from her desk, she could feel the stress melting away, and chatting with the mischievous yet amicable twosome on their walk to the bar put her completely as ease. They were always bickering about something, but in a playful way that belied their close friendship. Izumo was always making some off-colour comment, and Kotetsu would generally admonish the spiky-haired shinobi about it. Shizune couldn't help but smile at their antics, and she was looking forward to an evening of laughter and light-hearted conversation as they stepped into the bar.

Now, what she hadn't expected was for Kakashi to be at the same bar as them. The unmistakable tuft of silvery hair was present in the back corner of the bar, and her eyes were just drawn to him. He wasn't wearing anything flashy or doing anything remarkable, but being the Hokage, he had a constant stream of admirers approaching his table, and he'd attracted a few girls who made sure to sit as close to him as possible. Yamato and a few of Kakashi's old ANBU buddies were also there, many of them enjoying the attention that being near the Hokage brought them. Shizune made a point of mentioning new restaurants and locales to him each morning, but she didn't think he was actually listening to her. Maybe this was just a coincidence and he'd happened upon it himself.

Deciding to leave work thoughts at work, she happily sat down at a table with the two Chunnins and a few more of her classmates from the Academy. Finally able to relax after her long week, Shizune reached over for some sake and some mystery crispy snack that the boys had already ordered.

As the drinks flowed and stories flew, Shizune found herself very glad that her friends in Konoha were so warm and wonderful. The need to always have her guard up while she was traveling with Tsunade was exhausting, and while being a shinobi meant always bring alert, there was a certain comfort that came with being home. She could let down her guard and be true to herself around her peers and just feel accepted.

But letting her guard down and having a few drinks meant that she kept missing Kakashi's quick glances towards her as the night progressed. He wasn't used to seeing her be so carefree, and the brightness of her smile, the joy in her countenance, it was too much to ignore. She seemed so happy...

The night flew by and before Shizune knew it, it was past midnight. As much as she wanted to stay, she knew she'd regret it the next morning if she did. She paid for her share of the meal, leaving a bit extra to cover for some of the younger ones at the table and waved goodbye. The boys were still engrossed in their drinking game, but shot overly-exuberant goodbyes back at her.

Sighing contentedly as she walked away, the cool night air served as the perfect companion of her walk home. It was a clear night, and she could see a few stars peeking back at her against the bright lights of the bars and restaurants around her, with some of her favourite constellations twinkling cheekily back at her.

Shizu was so busy stargazing that she barely registered someone walking up beside her. Lazily tilting her eyes over to the unexpected company, she saw an unmistakable mop of unruly gray hair. Apparently, she was going to have an escort home. The pair wordlessly walked toward Shizune's home, with the kunoichi not wanting to complicate her evening and the shinobi never being much of a talker.

He really was something else, she thought as her inebriated gaze really took him in. Kakashi had this effortless confidence about him. She couldn't help but graze her eyes over him, taking in the stretch of his sleeves across the widest part of his arms, the firm expanse of his chest, the long lines of his lean frame. He was the personification of Adonis meeting Achilles. He felt absolutely magnetic, and she was okay with getting pulled in.

She wasn't drunk enough to lose her sensibilities, but his presence next to her loomed in her thoughts, and she couldn't help but get carried away in the heady tension surrounding them. She could almost reach out and touch him, just run her fingertips down his arms to the slightest peek of skin that happened to show, maybe finally find out if his hair was as soft as she'd imagined it to be...

"Ah, Shizune," he finally murmured as they fast-approached her building, "maybe next time, you'd like to have a drink with me?"

Shizu slowly swayed to a stop, startled out of her quickly-becoming-salacious train of thought, and turned to fully face him. Was that trepidation she heard echoing through her hazy mind? But that was impossible. Kakashi couldn't possibly get nervous around her.

Even in his stupor, Kakashi could see the gears turning in her mind, contemplating his cautious request. He was not used to being so apprehensive as he could usually impress a girl with his strength or skill. Shizune, though, was difficult to impress in that way being a Sannin's apprentice and a brilliant ninja in her own right. And he'd found that his 'cool guy' attitude did more to piss her off than interest her, so here he was, going out on a limb, asking her out...like a normal guy.

"Actually, yes, I'd really like that."


	9. Part 9

_Happy New Year everyone! This update is a bit risque, so skip the last half if that type of content makes you uncomfortable. It is a bit longer than the other sections, but I hope it's a good read. Thanks again to my lovely friend and editor treya-barton!_

* * *

A month passed before they got their next real break. It seemed the only constant in the Hokage's office was how busy everything could be. But late one evening, work finished early and everyone took advantage of that to leave the office before nightfall for once. Shizune sighed contentedly at her desk and smiled. These were some of her favourite moments. Afterall, it was finally quiet in the tower.

She took a minute to do absolutely nothing. No work, no stress, no fretting over medicinal formulas. All she wanted to do in that moment was look out her office window and let the rays from the setting sun splash across her face, enjoy the way the leaves on the trees outside made changing patterns with their shadows on the concrete as they fluttered in the light breeze outside. Even nature was at peace that day.

Shizune was broken out of her reverie by the shuffling of a door in the hallway, surprised that anyone else was even still there. Her curiousity was quelled when she saw Kakashi leaning in through the doorway of her office with a frosted bottle and two small glasses in his hands.

"It's not much," he smiled that cheeky, eyes-closed smile of his, "but it seems we have time for that drink now?"

Shizu pondered for the briefest of seconds before getting up and nodding at his offer. Though she'd assumed the window for following up on his late-night proposition has passed, and this wasn't exactly what she was hoping for when he'd asked her out, she wasn't going to deny herself the opportunity now. It was pretty expected for Kakashi to propose something unconventional. And as much as she'd scolded Tsunade for drinking at the office, every now and then couldn't hurt.

It was awkward at first, walking through the eerily quiet halls to the rooftop deck, but Kakashi didn't seem bothered, so Shizune tried not to let her nerves get to her.

"You know," she began, grimacing slightly, "I should have expected something like this from you."

Turning his head, eyebrow quirked, Kakashi silently urged her to continue.

Sighing and catching him with an exasperated look, she proceeded, "A non-date date, I mean. This isn't exactly what I expected when you asked me out for a drink."

"Ah, so you _were_ expecting a date then?" he responded, face falling back into his impassive expression. "Next time then."

Their drink went from one to two which turned into many. Kakashi had apparently found a few bottles from Tsunade's stash that Shizune had failed to sniff out. The first minutes of drinking were quiet and uncomfortable, but Shizune broke the initial silence by starting a conversation about work events and turning that into a conversation about general current events. Shizu couldn't help but talk about the goings-on in her own life as their evening proceeded, since she got chatty when drinking, to which Kakashi just hummed responses when required.

With darkness settling around them, and their inhibitions fading away, the duo decided to head inside. Shizune knew somewhere in the back of her mind that she should stop, that they were crossing a line that they probably shouldn't. She shouldn't be going inside; she should be going home. But here she was - boring, by-the-book Shizu - alone with the most eligible bachelor in the village, with her childhood crush, with the current object of her desires, so one more drink couldn't hurt, right?

Kakashi, on the other hand, thought he was perfectly in control. He could hold his liquor better than Shizu could, but not by the amount he would like to think. His steps were getting wobbly, and goodness help him if something happened in the village right now. He was in no shape to go saving the day.

So, they ended up inside, sitting in the Shizune's office which was decidedly more comfortable than Kakashi's paper-filled, bare-walled, almost-depressing-at-night room. Shizu sat in her cozy chair while Kakashi pulled up an ottoman as a makeshift seat. He'd placed himself quite close to her, and she found herself losing her train of thought in his visage. Even here, inebriated and fumbling, he still managed to look ever so cool with his strong shoulders leaned back, head cocked slightly towards her, a confident smirk evident from beneath his mask. His gaze on her was intense, or at least it felt that way to her.

Kakashi kept getting distracted by Shizu's smooth, dewy skin, the peaceful joy on her face, the way she giggled more at little things like the grumpy plushie on her bookshelf. Her laugh was contagious. Even the infamously stoic ninja couldn't help but carried away by her carefree demeanor, even though he was still more reserved with his emotions.

But Shizune couldn't stop herself from reaching out and running her fingers down his arms. Inhibitionless and giving in to her hedonistic urges, Shizune was following her whims, and they were telling her to just touch him. She was glad when her motions were reciprocated, and Kakashi moved closer, reaching out and drifting his hands down her sides, up the exposed skin along her thighs. Her forwardness was surprising but welcome, and he just wanted to feel her skin on his. The way his ever-so-subtle scent of sandalwood filled her senses, the way she shuddered under his hands every time he ran them down her sides, and the complete intoxication of his kisses provided the positive reinforcement they needed to keep going.

Almost enough for Shizu to forget that they were tangled together in her office, almost.

"Maybe we should do this somewhere else?" she breathed out, being the responsible one yet again, reluctantly removing her hand from his hair.

He slowly removed his arm from around her while nodding slowly, and they both tried to calm themselves down. Going to his place would be too obvious as they could potentially catch the eye of an ANBU or the Hokage's security detail.

Which is how they ended up in front of her apartment for the second time.

She hesitated in letting him in, the cool night air from their jaunt over waking up the sensible side of her mind, but throwing caution to the wind once again, she pushed the door open and allowed him to follow her into her place. Her home was generally clean, albeit with some papers on her coffee table and clothes in a pile in her bedroom, and her home smelled just how he'd expect of her. Clean, herbal, but faintly feminine. A variety of plants were placed around - many no doubt had a medicinal use.

"Well, this is home…" Shizune began, closing the door behind them and walking into her living room.

The awkwardness had begun to rear its head again, so Kakashi decided to take the lead, confidently covering the distance between them. He placed a hand on her hips and lazily drifted the other up her neck resting below her jaw. Kakashi paused for just a second, giving Shizune a moment to reconsider before leaning down ever so slightly to kiss along her collar bone. Shizu responded in kind, tangling her fingers into his long, silver locks and stepping closer, sliding her hand under his flak jacket while silently cursing the layers that he wore. Every other kiss was followed by the ghosting touch of his fingertips, amplifying the sensations cascading through her. Kakashi could smell the jasmine scent he'd grown so fond of dancing around him as they were pressed together, shivers from her hand meandering through his hair emanating down his neck and shoulders.

Impatience was gnawing at Shizune as her hand traveled from Kakashi's hair to the border of his mask, hooking her fingers under it before waiting for permission. She wanted to kiss him, to actually feel his lips on her skin, on her own, but she knew how particular he was when it came to that mask, so she gave him enough time to stop her if he wanted. When he didn't, she peeled it off slowly, admiring his flawless skin and classically handsome features. Shizune traced the scar on his cheek down to his lips, musing about how odd it felt to see his face unbroken and unbruised, but in this moment, he smoldered as the moonglow reflected off of his smooth, chiseled features. His body was lithe but she could still feel his defined muscles flexing beneath her hands.

Kakashi looked on as Shizu gazed at him, watching her eyes scanning his face, no doubt admiring his fortunate good looks. To him, she looked so unassuming in her long kimono, almost as if she was trying to fade into the backdrop of the night, but he found his gaze drawn to her, to how her midnight hair draped in front of her striking, lust-clouded eyes. He unhurriedly took in the artful curves of her body, the youthful sweetness of her features, the understated nature of her beauty.

Her soft skin was a plush treat against his battle-hardened hands, and the now familiar jasmine scent playfully meandered through his senses as they made their way into her bedroom. He expected her kiss to be timid and careful, but it was instead forward with a fervent energy, Shizune leaving little nips on his bottom lip. He pulled her close, unwrapping her kimono and expertly doing away with her netted layerings. Shizu, for her part, had efficiently removed his jacket and was exploring the firm stretch of his chest and torso with her hands. Kakashi stepped away for the quickest moment to remove his shirt and paused just a bit before placing his steady hands on her hips and leading her further into the bedroom. She began kissing along his shoulders, up his neck, across his jaw.

Kakashi was patient and deliberate in his actions, being ever-conscious of the physical cues he was giving and being given. Shizu was surprised at how compassionate Kakashi was being, as she hadn't expected such attentiveness from him, and while enjoying his motions, she decided to pick up the pace. After all, she'd waited long enough for this.

Following her lead, they found themselves losing track of time and sense of self. Shizune loved how his body complimented hers, and Kakashi was taken by this new version of Shizu that was unfolding before him. Hours later, thoroughly spent and satisfied, the pair lay sprawled unceremoniously in bed, hair a mess and bedsheets asunder.

Shizu sighed as she let herself enjoy the feel of his body against hers as he was lying next to her, his warmth emanating into her ever-cold appendages, and she decided that sandalwood was her new favourite scent. There was something so satisfying about being the recipient of affection from the most powerful shinobi in the village. Falling asleep in his arms felt safer than even travelling with a Sannin, and as Shizune burrowed into his embrace, she could have felt no happier.

"Oh, Shizune. You should definitely drop the '-sama' part now," Kakashi murmured, cheeky smile evident on his face even though she couldn't see it.

"Well, of course he would say that." Shizu thought to herself while responding, "I don't think that would be appropriate Hokage-sama."

Kakashi glanced down to see her smirking back at him and resigned himself to the formality for now. He did always appreciate a good challenge. Kakashi waited until Shizu had drifted off to sleep before quietly getting out of bed and tucking the covers around her. He carefully dressed, put his mask back on and crept out into the night to head back to his place. It was probably best to keep this new development quiet for now. Word travels fast in Konoha, no need to complicate things so early.


End file.
